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ADHD in the News - August 23, 2012

A weekly news digest** from the National Resource Center on ADHD: A Program of CHADD

ADHD Treatment May Reduce Smoking Risk (dailyRX, August 21, 2012)

"Did you know that kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more likely to start smoking? The question is whether seeking treatment early in life can decrease this risk. According to a recent study, the answer is yes. The results showed a lower rate of smoking among kids treated for their ADHD than among untreated kids. The study, led by Paul Hammerness, MD, from the Clinical and Research Program in Pediatric Pyschopharmacology and Adult ADHD at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, involved comparing three different teen populations..." Full Story

Is there a link between ADHD and spectacular financial failures? (The Guardian, August 22, 2012)

"Researchers speculate that the brain networks behind ADHD may also be associated with 'suboptimal' economic decisions...Brain imaging studies in particular have shown that there are structural and functional changes that underpin ADHD symptoms, and in a paper published last month in the journal Biological Psychiatry, a group at the Institute for Disorders of Impulse and Attention in the University of Southampton assess one of the newest ways of studying ADHD -- by coupling brain imaging with neuroeconomics. They speculate that the condition may be associated with "suboptimal" economic decisions..." Full Story

Surefire Strategies That Don't Work for ADHD -- And Some That Do (Psych Central, August 22, 2012)

"Knowing what works for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is just as important as knowing what doesn't. In fact, some of the tactics you're using might even exacerbate your symptoms. Whether it's techniques that you've tried yourself or others have employed, below are seven surefire ways to unsuccessfully cope with ADHD. Plus, at the bottom you'll find techniques that actually do work..." Full Story

ADHD symptoms 'present in most children who stutter' (News-Medical.Net, August 22, 2012)

"Over half of school-age children who stutter (CWS) have sufficient attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms to warrant referral for clinical evaluation, the results of a US study of parental reports indicates. "From a clinical perspective, the identification of coexisting ADHD traits in CWS is vitally important because these subgroups of children will require a different type of intervention from those children who present with stuttering alone," explain Joseph Donaher, from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, and co-authors..." Full Story

Socialization Program Improves Peer Relations for ADHD Children (GoodTherapy.org, August 16, 2012)

"Because socialization and peer acceptance are critical to self-esteem and identity formation, Amori Yee Mikami of the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia in Canada wanted to see if focusing on this area of impairment could help ADHD children improve their overall sense of well-being. Mikami recently led a study that compared two peer interventions, Making Socially Accepting Inclusive Classrooms (MOSAIC) and contingency management training (COMET)..." Full Story

Filling Prescriptions Before It's Time (dailyRx, August 20, 2012)

"One of the more difficult forms of drug abuse to control among teens is prescription drug abuse. Prescription drugs, like stimulants prescribed for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, can be abused for recreational purposes...A recent study has found that an overlap in prescriptions for children who legitimately need ADHD drugs might be one avenue to reduce the needless availability..." Full Story

Surge in study drugs (Miami Herald, August 21, 2012)

"It is among the worst-kept secrets on college campuses: Come finals time, a growing number of undergrads are turning to Adderall and other so-called study drugs to enhance their concentration. More often than not, the medications are brought to campus by students with a prescription. But they work their way into the hands of other students, some seeking the focus needed for an all-night study session..." Full Story

"A mysterious region deep in the human brain could be where we sort through the onslaught of stimuli from the outside world and focus on the information most important to our behavior and survival, Princeton University researchers have found. The researchers report in the journal Science that an area of our brain called the pulvinar regulates communication between clusters of brain cells as our brain focuses on the people and objects that need our attention...Saalmann said these findings on how the brain transmits information could lead to new ways of understanding and treating attention-related disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and schizophrenia..." Full Story

Brain scan study reveals owner's age (ABC Science, August 17, 2012)

"Being able to lie about your age may soon be a thing of the past, after a new study shows the human brain develops at a consistent rate across individuals. The finding could also advance our understanding of autism and ADHD, and be used in a court of law..." Full Story